Saturday, September 10, 2011

Growing up in Bronx, New York, it wasn't long before a young John Gotti became involved in gang activity. By the age of 12, Gotti was working as an errand boy for an underground club of one of the biggest crime families at the time. After dropping out of high school, Gotti became involved in a life of crime.

In 1968, John Gotti served his first major sentence after being charged by the FBI with committing cargo thefts near John F. Kennedy airport in New York. By this time, Gotti had been arrested numerous times but served little jail time making this three year sentence his first major stay in jail.

After serving his time, Gotti was back in the mob this time as captain of Fatico's crew. In 1973, Gotti committed his first murder against a rival gang member who murdered a member of his crime family. Gotti ended up leaving witnesses at the scene of the crime and was arrested and sentenced to yet another four years in prison. He's pictured here during a lunch break at a Manhattan Federal Court. Upon being released from prison, Gotti was promoted to captain of the Bergin crew of the Gambino crime family. In 1980, one of John Gotti's sons was hit by a car while riding his bike in their Queens home. His wife Victoria Gotti is pictured here outside of their home at an unknown date. In the early 1980's the FBI installed surveillance equipment in the Bergin club where Gotti and his accomplices met. By 1985, they gathered enough evidence to get Gotti and his underboss for federal indictments for racketeering. However, when it came time to face trial for these charges, Gotti and the other defendants were acquitted of their crimes. It was because of this that he garnered the name "Teflon Don" since the charges "wouldn't stick" to him. The front cover of the New York Daily News from March 14, 1987 shows John Gotti leaving court as a free man. Once again a free man, Gotti moved his meetings to the Ravenite Social Club once a week. However, this move nearly sealed his fate as it allowed the FBI to record and identify much of the Gambino crime family. John Gotti is pictured here outside of his Howard Beach, Queens home around the same time in 1987. In 1988, John Gotti's son John Gotti Jr. (r.) was initiated into the Gambino crime family on Christmas Eve. It wasn't long before Gotti Jr. was promoted to capo and eventually began a life of crime of his own. It wasn't long before John Gotti found himself in trouble yet again. In Jan. of 1989, Gotti was arrested outside of the Ravenite and charged with ordering the assault of a union official. After trial, the Teflon Don found himself acquitted of charges yet again and left jail on a $100,000 bail. On Dec. 11, 1990, FBI agents raided the Ravenite Social Club arresting Gotti and other mobsters after years of investigating. This time the police were out to finally put the mob boss away while Gotti remained confident that he would slide once again. Gotti was charged with racketeering once again along with 5 counts of murder and other charges including gambling, bribery and tax evasion. The Dec. 13, 1990 cover of the Daily News reads "Feds say: We'll stick it to Teflon Don. Indictment includes 5 hits" as a confident Gotti is pictured in the back seat. This time, the FBI wanted to make sure they put Gotti away for life as his usual attorney's Bruce Cutler (l.) and Gerald Shargel were disqualified from defending him after they were contended "part of the evidence." Cutler was replaced with Albert Krieger as the trial was quickly underway by the next month. The trial commenced with the prosecution's opening statements on Feb. 12, 1992 as they began their case by playing tapes showing Gotti discussing the Gambino family business. In the tapes, Gotti revealed murders he approved as well as motive to kill his former boss. After months of trials, on April 2, 1992, John Gotti was found guilty on all charges of the indictment. The jury only deliberated for 14 hours before coming to the conclusion of a guilty verdict. The front page of the New York Daily News the following day reads "Gone Fella" and included extensive coverage on his legal journey. On June 23, 1992, the judge sentenced John Gotti to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Gotti was also ordered to pay a $250,000 fine. He was incarcerated and taken to the United States Penitentiary at Marion, Illinois where he would spend most of his sentence in solitary confinement. On June 23, 1992, head mobster John Gotti was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murder and racketeering. The June 24, 1992 front cover of the Daily News was about his life conviction as it also mentioned the riots that followed with his sentencing. While in prison, Gotti held on to his position as Gambino boss as he relayed orders through his son John Gotti Jr. and brother Peter on his behalf. John Gotti is pictured here talking to his brother Peter while at a maximum security prison in Marion, Illinois in 1996.

In 1998, John Gotti was diagnosed with throat cancer and sent to the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri for surgery. After successfully removing the tumor, the cancer returned two years later as Gotti was transferred back. Gotti's condition rapidly declined and on June 10, 2002, he passed away from throat and neck cancer at the age of 61.